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 You can find me atop a steep mountain alongside the Megget Reservoir in the countryside of Scotland where goats and rams graze in romance. The one lane pebbled road becomes congested when opposing traffic attempts to share the right of way. Someone has to give in and steer off the beaten path. Surely this is no place for anything other than an all-wheel drive Sport Ute. Yet, this route had to be taken in association with a bevy of other backwood trails and ravines into no-man’s land before my long-deserved, hearty lunch. So I switch the vehicle’s award-winning suspension program, Terrain Response, into the “Mud & Ruts” setting and let the British 4x4 do its thing. Slowly it bends around a mud trail and then down a steep decline layered with wood paneling. At this point I take my feet off both pedals and let the LR4’s Hill Decent Control (HDC) operate the vehicle like a foreman with slow, varying acceleration and intermediate braking. Finally! I made it to lunch in the control room of the Megget Reservoir, retained by the largest earth dam in Scotland. Lunch at a dam? Only with Land Rover people!
Three New SUVs: For the new model year, Land Rover has revamped its top three SUVs -- LR4, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport -- with all-new lavish interiors; hardware updates; slight design enhancements including LED headlamps and 21st century electronics, telematics and infotainment centers. These 2010 models -- built from “the ground up, inside out” -- are indeed the best Land Rover has ever manufactured; a far cry from the heritage years when Land Rover hit the scene in 1948.
 Extended Performance: A key and most important attribute to LR’s overhaul includes two new direct injection 5.0-liter LR-V8 engines designed and built in-house in conjunction with stablemate Jaguar. The naturally-aspirated V8 receives 375 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque while the supercharged V8 vaults to 510 horsepower and 461 pound-feet of torque. The powerplants have also been “Land Rover proofed” with a deeper sump and waterproofing, allowing the Rovers to submerge into deep waters and explore dire off-road environments. New features on Terrain Response (five settings which consist of General Driving, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Sand, Rock Crawl, and my favorite Mud & Ruts) include adjustments to the Rock Crawl program giving the Rover greater stability on boulders and a new Sand Launch Control that minimizes wheel spin. HDC takes the pressure off of drivers through braking and appropriate vehicle acceleration down steep declines. Gradient Release Control along with the high/low gear ratio selector works in conjunction with Terrain Response. I used HDC quite a few times on slopes where I couldn’t see the front end and only the mud beneath me. “Incredible” peppered every thought. Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) detects swaying and counter balances the movements without input from the driver. TSA also doesn’t need an electric hook up. In addition to the aforementioned features, the vehicles receive advanced adjustments to the air suspension, updated steering inputs and bigger brakes.
Telematics and Interior: Land Rover has finally caught up to the rest of the luxury world with new and consumer expected electronics. The company understood the need for a fresh approach to functionality since prior generations were executed in utilitarian fashion. So now they have been empowered with touch control LCD screens (similar to new Jaguars) which houses the navigation, infotainment system and vehicle settings like the Surround Camera System (five cameras overall). The current navigation now works seamlessly and can be compared to intuitive Japanese and German systems. We selected the camera function when the team took the Range Rover Sport fishing and amazingly saw little Nemos swimming past us. Music can be heard by way of an iPod, MP3; USB, or HD radio. Of course these are not industry breakthroughs but they certainly are Land Rover breakthroughs. Quality materials, finer leathers, new seats and multi-functional steering wheels now occupies the LR interior, in addition to a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display, positioned within the instrument cluster. The virtual driver info center is all digital including the odometer numbers and needle and displays various messages depending on what the vehicle is doing. Greater expectations, emotional values and better build quality have become expectant of Land Rover customers. It’s what the brand calls “premiumness.” While driving hundreds of miles on road and quite a few miles off-road I was able to explore every angle of each of these three new vehicles like a health physical.
 2010 LR4: Mud & Ruts: Last year, Land Rover hosted the G4 Challenge in the Nevada dessert with a cadre of athletes utilizing LR3s which have won 100 plus awards worldwide. That vehicle was rugged and tough with an interior based more on camping than fine dining. Controversial as it was, the LR3 was born from the “form follows function” school of hard knocks. Its robotic center stack was overindulged with enough instrumentation to operate an airbus. For 2010, the LR4 is just as tough, just as rugged, but refined with glamour and fancy controls, but only a few. The exterior posture showcases a softer touch with body colored wheel arches and a new bumper and grille. I began my three-day trek upon arriving in Edinburgh, Scotland, one of the most picturesque European cities you will ever visit. Our route took us from the city to the backyard of the current 10th Duke of Roxburghe’s home -- Floors Castle with its 55,000 acres. What a life! The LR4s biggest change is the powertrain and an exterior refresh, hence the reason why LR rebadged the vehicle from LR3 to LR4. The five or seven passenger SUV features the normally aspirated V8 with 25% more horses than the previous 4.4-liter. Noble power was demonstrated on-road throughout our extended journey, yet the vehicle sits tall so I didn’t feel as confident around high-speed corners as I would have in the Sport. A new suspension, brakes, dampers, bushings, thicker anti-roll bar and a new center differential that allows more power to rear wheels during acceleration defines the LR4. This is a machine that traverses through all weather, all terrain, water up to 27.6 inches, tows 7,716 pounds and still is allowed to converge at the castle. Pricing starts at $48,100 for the base model and $51,750 (HSE) including an $850 destination charge.
 2010 Range Rover Sport: A River Runs Through: Imagine an SUV that is able to blaze from zero to sixty in 5.9 seconds, then jump off the highway into the valley and across the river, and be back on the street in time for dinner. Give it a clean wash and the aforementioned story would have seemed like a small white lie. This is what a supercharged V8 is able to accomplish in the Range Rover Sport, a sophisticated 4x4 that runs like a sports car. Available with both new engines, I fancy the S/C model by far. COMMANDSHIFT allows you to control the gearing of the six-speed automatic ZF transmission manually while six-piston Brembo brakes halt all acceleration with ease. Styling changes are subtle yet tailored with a new fender and bumper, two-bar grille and updated wheels and lights. The interior has a higher level of precision with new door trim and seat covers, real wood veneers, mood lighting, push button start and much more. Performance is top notch with massive dynamic innovations such as Adaptive Dynamics in conjunction with Dynamic Response (S/C models) and the introduction of the on-road Dynamic program found on Terrain Response. This feature further enhances vehicle agility as we found out on our fast paced route to the airport to catch a plane to Great Britain. Pricing starts at $60,495 (HSE) and $74,195 (Supercharged) which includes the $850 destination charge.
 2010 Range Rover: Perfect Proposition: Are You Experienced? Well, I am now after a tense, full-day of off-roading in Eastnor at The Land Rover Experience. Based here since the 1960s, Land Rover instructors provide the skills for drivers to use the full capabilities of Land Rovers including rescue services, police, fire service and the Royal Geographic Society. As Chief Program Engineer Paul Walker put it, “It’s the world’s most capable luxury vehicle.” I concur as the Range Rover is embellished with grace, style, technology, refinement, and an interior suited for the Queen herself. The vehicle, which hasn’t been changed since 2002 when it was introduced as a 2003 model is in a rare position as it doesn’t have a direct competitor and is actually cross-shopped to luxury autos such as Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7 Series. And in a bear market where the industry is down the Range Rover has actually gained share. The average age of a Range Rover customer is under fifty and owners are traditionally wealthy. This model also inherits both V8 engines with power up 23% on the base engine and up 29% on the supercharged, with fuel economy up 7% on both. On a clear straightaway, I shifted down to third and mashed the pedal. In seconds I was sailing at 140 mph. A hard brake from the six-piston Brembo calipers brought me back down to reality in a hurry. I took a deep breath, smiled and then pumped the volume on the harmon/kardon 19-speaker sound system so I could enjoy my iPod “travel” playlist. Safety comes into play with radar based Blind Spot Monitoring, Adaptive Cruise Control which uses 12 radar beams to scan traffic ten times a second; nine airbags, Forward Alert and Advanced Emergency Brake Assist which helps collision avoidance through a cadre of alerts and engaging needed braking if collision is unavoidable. The Range Rover also features the same damping technology as the Range Rover Sport, yet this is a big vehicle and body roll was still very evident. Expect to pay $79,275 (HSE) and $95,125 (Supercharged) with the $850 destination charge included.
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